Editor's note: You can find PFW's analysis of additional categories for each team in the midseason team reports found in our current print edition, Vol. XXIV, No. 18, dated Nov. 15, 2009. You can purchase a copy online at PFWstore.com.

NFC EAST

Dallas

Biggest surprise: Jerry Jones said the Cowboys let Terrell Owens go because of Miles Austin, and Austin was confident he could be the top receiving option. Maybe we should have listened more closely. In five games off the bench, Austin caught five passes for 81 yards and a TD. Since then, he has caught 21-482-5 in three starts. His development might have come sooner had Austin not battled injuries from last season through this offseason, having previously shown flashes of greatness. Now he looks like a complete receiver, not just a one-trick pony.

Biggest disappointment: Looking back, the Cowboys have lost two games they probably should have won. In Week Two, they fell to a last-second field goal against a Giants team that has fallen off its perch since then. And in Week Four, they were on the doorstep of tying the Broncos before a last-second goal-line stand held them up.

Fantasy MVP: Austin's development came along too late, so you'd have to go with QB Tony Romo, who has thrown for at least 255 yards in seven of eight games and has four 300-yard efforts. He has been fairly consistent from a fantasy perspective.

Assistant coach on the rise: Special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis got off to a nightmarish start as a Cowboys assistant, suffering a broken neck and back in the team's practice-facility disaster this offseason. But DeCamillis showed his toughness by returning to practice in a halo, and he has not slowed down from there. In fact, insiders think that the brash, demanding DeCamillis might be the team's biggest addition this year. He has shaped up some poor units by making special teams a priority in Dallas.

Fearless prediction: The team fights through the softer part of its schedule and wins the NFC East despite a late push by the Eagles.

New York Giants

Biggest surprise: The fact that the entire group of young receivers has stepped up has been a big plus. It was one of the major question marks heading into the season, but there are few concerns now about Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks. All three have played well enough to be the top receiving option, making big plays and combining to catch 13 of the team's 15 TD passes.

Biggest disappointment: The front seven was hailed as one of the deeper and more talented groups in the NFL, but so far it is neither rushing the passer nor stopping the run the way anyone expected. Injuries have played a big part up front, but the defensive core — Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and the tackles — also must step up.

Fantasy MVP: WR Steve Smith might have cooled off a bit lately from a hot start (34 receptions, 411 yards, four TDs in the first four games), but consistency is still a key part of his game. Smith has had at least 57 yards receiving in every game but one and remains a viable target in the passing game, even with improvement across the board at receiver.

Assistant coach on the rise: WR coach Mike Sullivan has worked his way up through the ranks and has done a great job getting Smith, Manningham and Nicks in a position not only to play but play very well. Those three wideouts have 13 of the team's 16 receiving touchdowns and have done a good job of dispelling the talk of what the losses of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer would mean.

Fearless prediction: Four crushing losses in a row are enough to derail this team from getting back to the postseason.

Philadelphia Eagles

Biggest surprise: The defense, despite using four different middle linebackers and three different free safeties, hasn't lost a step. Observers say you can't tell the difference under first-year coordinator Sean McDermott to when Jim Johnson was calling plays. Several players are having big impacts, but the fact that you can't single anyone out means that this has been a team effort.

Biggest disappointments: Injuries to Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis, Donovan McNabb and at several spots along the O-line have hurt the offensive consistency. It would be interesting to see what this talented group could do at full strength. It's tough when QB Michael Vick, taking up a roster spot, has been a nonfactor. He has six passing yards on six attempts and 27 yards on 12 runs.

Fantasy MVP: No question it has been WR DeSean Jackson. Despite catching only 26 passes on the season, he has made just about every one of them count, with 530 yards, four TDs and an impressive 20.4-yard average. With several key offensive players in and out of the Eagles' lineup, Jackson also has stepped up as one of the team's leading rushers (7-115-1) and a game-breaking punt returner.

Assistant coach on the rise: There's no question that McDermott has gotten off to a fantastic start as defensive coordinator. McDermott, though, is not just a Johnson clone; he has added some interesting wrinkles to how he has handled personnel, such as rotating more players at linebacker and safety, and he has done a tremendous job keeping the defense as one of the top units.

Fearless prediction: The Eagles don't win the division — the Cowboys will — but like last season, they will make some noise as a wild-card team.

Washington Redskins

Biggest surprise: It shouldn't be surprising that rookie Brian Orakpo, the 13th pick, is playing well. But his continued development as a strong-side linebacker, a new position, and rush end has been impressive. DT Jeremy Jarmon, a supplemental pick, also has impressed. He only gets about 15 plays a game, but he has shown good quickness and a nose for the ball. Both young defenders also appear to learn quickly from mistakes.

Biggest disappointment: It has been the lack of development of the offense, without question. All the blame can't be put on QB Jason Campbell's plate, though. The lack of proper planning in terms of depth on the offensive line has hurt badly following the losses of Chris Samuels and Randy Thomas. The minimal development of second-year WRs Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas also has been a major disappointment in light of how little they've done.

Fantasy MVP: It has not been a good season for Redskins skill-position players, but you'd have to pick WR Santana Moss just a hair above Clinton Portis, who has been disappointing based on fantasy expectations. Moss has had one big game — 10 receptions, 178 yards and a TD against Detroit — and been held to fewer than 45 yards in five of the six other games, but he has had the most bang for the buck.

Assistant coach on the rise: It might seem odd to pick a coach who started his career in 1977, but John Palermo built a reputation in the college ranks for being one of the best defensive line coaches in America and he has been terrific since coming to the NFL last year. Even if Palermo is not brought back next season because of a head-coaching change, he is sure to get NFL offers after evaluators take heed of the work Palermo has done with this group. Sure, DT Albert Haynesworth is a monster, but DE Andre Carter has looked revitalized, DT Kedric Golston has been a contributor, and rookie DEs Orakpo and Jarmon have contributed a good amount.

Fearless prediction: Jim Zorn goes down with his team, lasting the entire season but suffering through double-digit losses and being given blame for the Redskins' failures. And then, a lot of changes in the offseason. As in, more than usual.

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Biggest surprise: Everybody knew fifth-round WR Johnny Knox could fly after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. But nobody knew Knox would turn into such a big-time weapon both as a wideout and as a return specialist. Knox has become a dynamic No. 3 receiver behind Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, each of whom has exceeded expectations.

Biggest disappointment: An offensive line that was expected to be significantly upgraded with the free-agent additions of Orlando Pace, Frank Omiyale and Kevin Shaffer could be worse than last year's unit based on its uneven performance the first half of the season. Pace has been a bust at left tackle, Omiyale is a pure tackle who struggled at left guard before being replaced in Week Eight by Josh Beekman, and Shaffer has been a nonfactor.

Fantasy MVP: There isn't much to pick from. QB Jay Cutler, who was expected by many to put up decent fantasy numbers, has thrown nearly as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns (14) and has only two 300-yard passing games. WRs Hester and Knox, who have three TDs apiece, are possible choices. With Hester on pace to gain more receiving yards than in his previous three seasons combined, he's probably the most-worthy selection. He has been among the league leaders in receptions the last month or so and continues to show improvement as a receiver.

Assistant coach on the rise: WR coach Darryl Drake has done a good job developing a WR corps that most observers had expected to be a major weakness. During the offseason he pushed for the Bears to develop their youngsters rather than going after a name free agent. Hester has made a successful transition from defensive back to wide receiver, with 27 catches for 359 yards in the last four games. Drake's approach is also paying dividends with second-year man Bennett and rookie Knox.

Fearless prediction: Don't be surprised if either OLT Pace or ORT Chris Williams ends up sitting on the bench alongside Omiyale before the year is over as more changes in the starting lineup, besides the aforementioned Beekman move, seem likely.

Detroit Lions

Biggest surprise: Not much was expected early from rookie DT Sammie Hill coming out of Stillman College. But he started in the opener and hasn't embarrassed himself. In fact, the coaches noticed on tape that in the three games Hill missed with an ankle injury, there was a big difference without him on the field. He's not another Albert Haynesworth, but Hill has great mass, is willing to work and has responded to the first real coaching he has ever had.

Biggest disappointment: The secondary, without question, has been awful. For three seasons, the Lions have managed not only to not improve but perhaps even get worse. CBs Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon both have been benched at some point, and a couple of street free agents who were brought in to help out (Eric King, Demarcus Faggins) are on injured reserve. Rookie FS Louis Delmas is talented but must be consistent.

Fantasy MVP: Calvin Johnson has missed two games, but he has been the most productive offensive player when he has been out there — despite scoring only one touchdown. In the four full games in which he played before getting hurt against the Steelers, Johnson averaged 80.8 yards a game.

Assistant coach on the rise: Scott Linehan was not a successful head coach, but perhaps he's back doing what he always was meant to do: calling plays. The inventive offensive coordinator has had to deal with a number of roadblocks — including injuries to Johnson and QB Matthew Stafford, a lack of talent on the O-line and little other skill-position talent — but Linehan mostly has juggled things well. Stafford doesn't appear to be swimming upstream, and when they get more weapons, this has the look of a decent offense in the making one day.

Fearless prediction: The team wins at least two more games, including its home finale against the Bears, to give it momentum into what should be an intriguing offseason.

Green Bay Packers

Biggest surprise: Before breaking his hand in the Week Eight game against the Vikings, 2008 free-agent addition Brandon Chillar had established himself as an integral cog in Capers' defense as the inside linebacker in the nickel defense and the fifth linebacker in the "Big Oakie" defense, which was specifically designed with him in mind. Chillar has improved at the point of attack this season after getting into great shape this offseason.

Biggest disappointment: The offensive line has been a sieve. Veteran OLT Chad Clifton has missed significant time with an ankle injury, and Allen Barbre has really struggled for the most part at right tackle.

Fantasy MVP: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has proven to be a first-rate fantasy quarterback the first half of the year. He has thrown multiple TD passes in each of his last six games, has only five interceptions and adds an extra dimension with his legs (two rushing TDs already).

Assistant coach on the rise: Team insiders have been very impressed by new secondary/safeties coach Darren Perry, a former player very well-versed in the Steelers-style 3-4 system. Perry has no problem getting his points across to the team's secondary. He carries himself in a very classy manner and is said to have a lot on the ball.

Fearless prediction: Don't be surprised if WR Greg Jennings, who had a surprisingly weak first half, returns to being the Greg Jennings of old during the second half of the season with 5-6 scores minimum.

Minnesota Vikings

Biggest surprise: Maybe it should be called the "most pleasant development," but the blossoming of WR Sidney Rice has been a welcome addition to an offense that had only one deep receiver last season. Rice's maturity and work ethic have caught up with his marvelous physical skills, and he has shown the ability to take over games.

Biggest disappointment: The defense has given up a surprising amount of yardage, and the biggest culprits have been missed tackles and coverage lapses. LB Chad Greenway has been a playmaker but has been among the league leaders in missed tackles. And the defensive backs, especially with CB Antoine Winfield out, have been out of position in zone coverage or have played too softly.

Fantasy MVP: Considering his position, Adrian Peterson gets the nod over Brett Favre. Of course, as the consensus No. 1 pick in most leagues, Peterson has had a lot to live up to in the fantasy world. And he's mostly delivering, too.

Assistant coach on the rise: WR coach George Stewart has taken Percy Harvin under his wing since the moment the team drafted him, and the result has been a polished and dangerous rookie who has been fed a lot on offense and has handled it extremely well. Stewart, who remains close with Terrell Owens, is regarded as a patient teacher whose relationships with players go beyond the field. And he also has done a nice job with Rice, who has emerged as a legitimate threat over the past year.

Fearless prediction: The Vikings earn a first-round bye and get that elusive playoff victory for head coach Brad Childress, but this team will not win the Super Bowl.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

Biggest surprise: No one expected RB Michael Turner to get off to such a slow start after having dominated defenses last season. He was held to 65 rushing yards or fewer in four of his first six games before busting out in Weeks Eight and Nine for 317 yards on the ground. He has been careless with the ball, too, fumbling four times, which is one more fumble than he had all of 2008. After the strong showing the last two weeks, the Falcons hope his struggles are behind him.

Biggest disappointment: Head coach Mike Smith expected his top two draft picks, DT Peria Jerry and S William Moore, to be significant contributors as rookies, but the two combined to make a whopping total of three tackles before their debut seasons were cut short by injuries. Jerry's loss was particularly difficult since he was already a starter.

Fantasy MVP: WR Roddy White narrowly gets the nod over Turner, based on his TD mark. White has already scored six TDs, which is one fewer than his career high in a single season. To have that much scoring punch from a receiver is rare. He came up with several big plays in the first half of the season and has a high yards-per-catch average.

Assistant coach on the rise: It will not be a surprise if offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is interviewed and seriously considered for a head-coaching job this offseason. He has helped develop a young quarterback in Matt Ryan and is one of the sharpest offensive minds in the league. He had a two-year stint as head coach in Buffalo that didn't go so well, but his reputation has been rebuilt in the past year and a half.

Fearless prediction: Defensive struggles, particularly in the secondary, will haunt the Falcons for the rest of the season. Despite that, the team will sneak into the postseason with the No. 6 seed, but it will not advance past the first round.

Carolina Panthers

Biggest surprise: With three defensive tackles landing on injured reserve early this season, including top run stuffer Maake Kemoeatu, it's impressive that the Panthers' run defense hasn't completely collapsed. It's not a stout unit, but the signing of veteran Hollis Thomas has, somewhat unexpectedly, helped stop the bleeding, and this group has been very respectable in recent weeks.

Biggest disappointment: No one expected Jake Delhomme to become Peyton Manning, but "underwhelming" is a kind way to describe his performance this season after he signed a contract extension in April, which now looks like an awful decision. Delhomme leads the league in interceptions, and his erratic play has kept the Panthers from establishing a sustained rhythm on offense.

Fantasy MVP: DeAngelo Williams isn't providing the kind of TD totals he did last season, but he's still the most productive weapon on the team. He has really come on recently after a bit of a slow start, rushing for 548 yards and five TDs in his last four games.

Assistant coach on the rise: Defensive line coach Brian Baker has done a good job getting the most out of his position group this season. He seems to have motivated Julius Peppers in the past month and has done a good job of managing an awful situation on the interior D-line. There's been a revolving door at D-tackle, but the Panthers' run defense has improved in recent weeks.

Fearless prediction: The Panthers won't make the playoffs, but head coach John Fox will be brought back next season after Bill Cowher privately tells owner Jerry Richardson he's not interested in coming to Carolina because of its awful situation at quarterback.

New Orleans Saints

Biggest surprise: The Saints took a chance on FS Darren Sharper, signing the 34-year-old to a one-year deal in the offseason, and the move has paid major dividends. Sharper was supposed to be on his last legs, but no defender has made more big plays than he has in the first half of 2009. He already has returned three of his seven interceptions for touchdowns.

Biggest disappointment: It's hard to find a player who hasn't performed up to expectations, so the biggest disappointment has been someone who hasn't played at all. New Orleans lost its starting left tackle, two-time Pro Bowler Jammal Brown, for the season before he suited up for a game, following sports hernia and hip surgeries. To lose a player of his caliber at such an important position hurt, but Jermon Bushrod has done a good job filling in.

Fantasy MVP: QB Drew Brees is nearly unmatched when it comes to fantasy football. He has the potential to explode in any given week and is tied for the league lead in TD passes, despite going without a TD in consecutive weeks earlier in the season.

Assistant coach on the rise: Few coordinators have received greater praise than the Saints' Gregg Williams in his first season with the club. He has turned this defense into a stout, playmaking unit that can make life miserable on opposing quarterbacks. He's already had one shot as a head coach, but he might earn himself a few interviews if New Orleans' "D" keeps this up.

Fearless prediction: After a two-year drought, the Saints get back to the postseason and advance to the Super Bowl, where they beat the Colts 34-30.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Biggest surprise: Cadillac Williams has had his career declared over twice after tearing the patellar tendon in each knee in back-to-back seasons, but he's far from done. Williams leads the Bucs in rushing, and he does so by a significant margin. Williams played in only six games last season and four games in 2007, but he already has played in eight this season.

Biggest disappointments: It's not fair to single out one person in this case. The Bucs' nightmarish season has been a full team effort. From throwing in the towel and trading away 2007 first-round pick Gaines Adams to Aqib Talib's immature and destructive behavior to Derrick Ward's failure to live up to his contract, pretty much everyone on the Bucs has been disappointing.

Fantasy MVP: It's not a good sign if a fantasy owner has a player from the Buccaneers' woeful offense in the starting lineup, but TE Kellen Winslow has been the best of a bad bunch. Getting five TDs out of the TE position this early in the season is very solid, although he's had some real clunker games, as well.

Assistant coach on the rise: Offensive line coach Pete Mangurian has impressed observers in Tampa. The O-line is regarded as one of the stronger position groups on the team, and Mangurian has helped young players like OLG Jeremy Zuttah develop this year. Mangurian served as the Falcons' offensive coordinator in 2003, and he could get another shot as an offensive coordinator in the near future.

Fearless prediction: With a daunting second-half schedule ahead, the Buccaneers will finish the season 1-15, but head coach Raheem Morris and GM Mark Dominik will not be fired.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Biggest surprise: The Cardinals didn't expect second-year DE Calais Campbell to develop as quickly as he has as the starting end in place of the departed Antonio Smith. He has been one of the key factors in the team's highly ranked run defense and also has been a force on special teams with two blocked field-goal attempts. The consensus is that he is just scratching the surface.

Biggest disappointment: There has been a significant drop-off in big plays downfield by star WR Larry Fitzgerald, whose longest catch this season is 27 yards. A steady dose of double coverage and the fact that fellow WR Anquan Boldin has been operating at less-than-full strength on a sprained ankle are the primary reasons Fitzgerald's number of big plays are down so much.

Fantasy MVP: Fitzgerald still gets the nod even though he has yet to rack up any bonus points on his touchdowns, the longest of which has been a 26-yarder. Yet, he has the second-most catches in the NFC to go with seven touchdowns, and the team has vowed to go out of its way to get him more involved downfield. A lot of games coming up against suspect pass defenses (Seattle, St. Louis twice, Tennessee, Detroit) certainly won't hurt.

Assistant coach on the rise: Cardinals D-line coach Ron Aiken has earned steadily strong reviews. He has gotten more consistent play out of Darnell Dockett, the line's best player, and linemate Campbell swears by him. Aiken also has handled the rotations well at both the tackle and end positions, finally getting former second-round pick DT Alan Branch to consistently play up to his ability.

Fearless prediction: Not only will 2009 first-round draft pick Chris "Beanie" Wells be the team's undisputed starting running back at the end of the season, he also will have exploded for at least 2-3 scores longer than 30 yards.

St. Louis Rams

Biggest surprise: Second-round draft pick James Laurinaitis has experienced surprisingly few growing pains as the team's starting middle linebacker since Day One. A quick study with a tremendous work ethic, he has earned genuine respect around the league in short order. 

Biggest disappointment: Although he's the leading tackler among the team's defensive linemen with 27 and fifth on the team overall after a decent four-tackle effort against the Lions in Week Eight, nobody is happy that DE Chris Long has only one sack, which he got against Detroit. Long's work ethic is excellent, but much better production was expected from a player who was the second overall selection in the 2008 draft.

Fantasy MVP: Despite scoring only one TD, RB Steven Jackson is the only legitimate pick from an offense that had scored the fewest points in the league. Jackson entered the team's Week Nine bye tied for the NFC rushing lead with Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson and was second in combined rushing-receiving yardage (three yards behind Peterson).

Assistant coach on the rise: Nobody has stuck out in what has been a very rough season, but offensive line coach Steve Loney would probably be the best choice. It appears the line could be starting to jell with top draft pick Jason Smith showing improvement and Adam Goldberg, Mark Setterstrom and John Greco providing decent depth.

Fearless prediction: When this season mercifully ends, so will QB Marc Bulger's career in St. Louis. Look for the Rams' top 2010 draft pick to be the new starter under center next season.

San Francisco 49ers

Biggest surprise: Who would have thought former first-round draft pick Alex Smith suddenly would be in a position to fulfill his initial promise under center after starting the season far behind Shaun Hill? With his arm looking stronger than ever, Smith has single-handedly changed the team's previously bland offensive outlook.

Biggest disappointment: Other than three TD runs of 60-plus yards by featured back Frank Gore, the Niners' ground game has been a colossal downer. The ankle and foot injuries that forced Gore to miss two games and most of a third and poor run blocking have been primarily responsible for the running game's failure.

Fantasy MVP: On pace to catch 14 TD passes, after having scored only nine in his first three seasons, Vernon Davis has emerged as arguably the league's most productive fantasy tight end. Davis has become a top red-zone target, and he never comes off the field.

Assistant coach on the rise: Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, a former head coach in NFL Europe, continues to do an excellent job with a line that has a lot of moving parts. The stunts and wrinkles the Niners' line displayed in Week Eight at Indianapolis, when it registered three sacks of Peyton Manning, who seldom gets his uniform dirty, were particularly impressive. Considered very charismatic, Tomsula is definitely an assistant worth watching.

Fearless prediction: Alex Smith will have the NFL's best passer rating in the second half of the season and prove worthy of establishing residence in the NFL signalcallers' high-rent district in 2010.

Seattle Seahawks

Biggest surprise: Coming off knee surgery after playing only one half of football last season, WR Nate Burleson has emerged as one of the NFC leaders in receptions and appears to have regained all of his prior speed. Nobody expected Burleson to have more catches than high-profile free-agent addition T.J. Houshmandzadeh through eight games.

Biggest disappointments: The season-ending injuries suffered by OLT Walter Jones and MLB Lofa Tatupu are understandably major blows. With Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowler, never able to get on the field this season, the offensive line has been forced to undergo major shuffling for the second straight season. Tatupu's value on the field as the quarterback of the defense and in the locker room is sorely missed.

Fantasy MVP: Burleson is our first-half pick, but it remains to be seen whether he will maintain that status the second half with Houshmandzadeh crying out for more receiving opportunities. TE John Carlson started out like a house on fire with a pair of touchdowns in Week One, but he has been turned into more of a blocking specialist because of all the injuries that have occurred on the offensive line.

Assistant coach on the rise: Only four years removed from North Dakota State, new Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's swift rise through the ranks at the pro level remains worth noting. While Seattle's defense has been only sporadically effective, Bradley deserves credit for his creativity and consistently aggressive approach, as well as the fact he uses everybody on the roster, which has made him very popular among his players.

Fearless prediction: Don't be surprised if Jones decides to retire and the Seahawks are forced to rethink their future game plan at left tackle, with heir apparent Sean Locklear having problems staying healthy and looking average at best when he is able to play.

AFC midseason team reports